If The Ladies Would Kindly Shine
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day two hundred and sixty-three: Quinn runs into Rachel at the store and gets a helping hand.


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th cycle. Now cycle 13!_

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**"If The Ladies Would Kindly Shine"  
Rachel & Quinn  
Sunshine Girls #13 [Sequel to "Here Comes the Sun"] **

Quinn knew the day was inevitable that way, that the moment would come when the bump, easily forgettable behind the wonder that was her Cheerios top, would become less forgiving in regards to her normal clothes… the ones she wore around her still clueless parents. She'd started seeing it that week, but until she got a little money to make a sneak run at the store, she had to be clever.

Finally though, she was all set, and she went off in search, not for maternity wear, more like the opposite… concealing wear. She had come to the point where she'd almost consider wearing the Cheerios top under her other clothes… It wouldn't work so easy.

She supposed she was learning to fend for herself, in having to safe keep her secret. The kids in the club, Mr. Schuester, Coach Sylvester… the whole of McKinley High, they knew… but then that was that, and none of it really applied where her present situation was concerned.

Arriving in the store, she became determined not to draw attention to herself from any of the salesgirls. She had to get this done, good and fast, without questions or comments, and with her dignity intact.

She had found a couple of promising pieces and was on her way to the dressing rooms when she rounded a rack of pants and came face to face with none other than her former partner in the spreading of sunshine, with her own share of outfits on the way to being tried. "Hey…" Quinn blinked.

"Hi," Rachel had replied at the same time. Once those greetings had been said and done, neither of them knew what to do… The extent of their progress had so far been restricted to school and the occasional home visit, but still there the social setting could still trump them… So it came to them both how they might as well try and tackle this.

"I like that shirt," Quinn indicated the top, hanging on Rachel's arm.

"Oh… thanks," she replied slowly. "It's for a wedding in the family," she revealed. "You?" she indicated Quinn's load. The blonde hesitated, looking over at her, hoping her signals would be understood… they were. "Getting there, uh…" she nodded slowly, and Quinn looked around.

"Kind of embarrassed," she admitted. Rachel could see how she seemed to be keeping an eye on the salesgirls, so she pulled the curtain open for Quinn.

"Go, I'll stay here," she told her. Quinn breathed out, looking back to Rachel.

"Thanks," she spoke earnestly. Rachel smiled as Quinn went in and pulled the curtain shut. Rachel went about 'browsing' a nearby rack, to look less obvious in case a salesgirl sniffed her out and tried to sell her five shirts, three skirts… then she heard a groan and turned.

"What's wrong?" she asked, taking a step toward the curtain just as it was thrown aside and Rachel got a look at Quinn in the first dress she'd tried on… Rachel's eyes were drawn down. "Wow…" Quinn huffed and let the curtain drop. "Sorry, I…"

"No, it's okay, I just… I need to make it disappear… under a dress." Rachel nodded to herself, knowing that was bound to be frustrating.

"Keep trying those on… I'll go see if I can find anything else." She waited. "Okay?" A little more wait, then…

"Okay, just… choose wisely?" Rachel heard as she was walking off. She knew it could have come off as an insult, back in the day, but she could see it now, they were being honest and not spiteful. She had to go about finding something that Quinn would like…

She found a couple of things, considering both appeal and purpose… concealment. As she brought them over, she asked to the curtain, "Any luck?" Quinn's hand shot out from within the cabin, calling for her to be given what Rachel had found. "Guess not…" she blinked. She went back to her 'browsing.'

A minute later, she heard the curtain open – calmly – and she turned to look. Quinn was smiling now, almost, and Rachel could see why… or not see. "I'm not crazy right? You can't see…" Quinn turned back to look in the mirror. Rachel, standing behind her, gave a nod. Quinn's head tilted as she tugged at the fabric. "I don't know about the color…"

"There were others, I'll go look," Rachel turned to head off and take the other colors.

"Rachel," Quinn called after her. The brunette stopped and turned back. Quinn chuckled, knowing there was no way around this coming off as corny. "Thanks for this."

"Sure," Rachel smirked before heading back to the area where she'd found the particular dress and got a hold of the different colors, making sure it was the right model. Finally certain, she put them over her arm.

As she looked back up, she spotted the girl at the kiosk across the way, through the shop's window. It always freaked her out a bit, how many tattoos she had. She was talking to a guy… From the look on her face, it was clear, this was 'someone special.' She would have easily moved on from there, but there was something about the guy, even with his back turned…

Rachel almost tripped over both her feet and a nearby rack, her jaw slack, as the man turned his head and she saw his face… She'd been right, he was familiar… family, not hers…

It was Quinn's father, and he had the same look for Tattoo Girl as Tattoo Girl had for him. There just was no mistaking it… She wished there was.

What did it mean? Was it flirting, or more… Even if it was flirting, there was a different with intent… Either way it would indicate…

Her face fixed as she saw… well, a motion… This was not playful, there was intent all over it…

She moved away from the window. She didn't want him to see h… Quinn… Her heart sank. She shouldn't see or be seen either… What was she supposed to do now?

THE END


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